SIR: SC order being misinterpretedby Cong, says BJPCong, says BJP

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said the Supreme Court order on pleas challenging the Election Commission's special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar makes it clear that "no stay was asked for by any of the petitioners", and hoped the ruling will save a vast majority of voters from being disen- franchised.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to consider Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards as valid documents during its on- going Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, set to go to polls later this year.

Calling SIR a "constitutional mandate", Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi considered the submissions of senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the EC, and permitted the poll panel to continue with the exercise in Bihar with over 7 crore voters.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary incharge communications Jai ram Ramesh said, "Following the Honble Su- preme Court's order that has just come out officially, the Election Commission now has to include the EPIC, Aadhar cards, and Ration Cards in the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar. This will save a vast majority of voters from being disenfranchised," Ramesh said on X.

"Moreover the EC's spin on the no stay being given has been clearly exposed. Page 7 of the order makes it clear that no stay was asked for by any of the petitioners yesterday. Such deliberately misleading headline management does not befit a Constitu- tional authority," he said.

Hitting back at Ramesh, the BJP accused him of misinterpreting the Supreme Court observations.

"Stop misinterpreting the Supreme Court. The Court has not mandated the accep- tance of any additional documents—it has merely said it may consider them.

Justice Dhulia clearly stated that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is free to record valid reasons for excluding any document. The discretion lies with the ECI," BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said in his post on X. (PTI)